20 years ago today, Joe Bowen gave us this amazing play call
Twenty years ago today, do you remember where you were? If you are a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, you were likely posted up on your couch, watching game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, featuring the Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes.
The Leafs were led to the Conference Finals by an unlikely duo, 35-year-old Gary Roberts (19 points in 19 games) and 24-year-old Alyn McCauley (15 points in 20 games). Team captain Mats Sundin (7 points in 8 games) had missed a large chunk of the playoffs due to an injury suffered in the first round against the New York Islanders. McCauley stepped up to play on the top line with Gary Roberts for most of the playoffs.
With the Leafs down in the series three games to two, and down by a goal late in the game, the Leafs pulled goaltender Curtis Joseph in a final attempt to save their season. That is when the Swedish captain came through for them, and Joe Bowen gave us this magical call.
However, the celebration was short-lived. Hurricanes winger Martin Gelinas scored in overtime, eliminating the Leafs and sending the Canes to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost in five games against a stacked Detroit Red Wings team.
This game also marked the end of the "Cujo" era in Toronto (although he did return briefly in 2009 as a backup role).
Even though they weren't able to win a championship, the Pat Quinn era-Leafs made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons, winning a total of seven playoff series, and provided a generation of Leaf fans with some with some fond memories.
| POLL | ||
MAI 28 | 278 ANSWERS 20 years ago today, Joe Bowen gave us this amazing play call Who was your favorite Leaf coach of the past? | ||
| Pat Quinn | 111 | 39.9 % |
| Punch Imlach | 16 | 5.8 % |
| Pat Burns | 117 | 42.1 % |
| Other | 34 | 12.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
